The line-up of candidates battling to be the MP for South Thanet will not feature the former UKIP leader Nigel Farage - but it could see the UKIP leader of Thanet council Chris Wells on the ballot paper.

Mr Wells is reported to be among those who have applied to be the party’s candidate for the June poll. A selection meeting is due to be held this week.

While Cllr Wells is a well-known figure, he would face awkward questions over Ukip’s failure to meet a key pledge made at the 2015 general election, namely re-opening Manston as a working airport.

He is also a candidate in the county council election.

The party had hoped Mr Farage would stand in a re-run of the acrimonious battle last time, when he lost to Conservative Craig Mackinlay.

That contest is now the subject of an investigation into claims that the Conservatives failed to properly report election expenses and may have breached spending limits.

But the former party leader ruled out returning for a re-match saying he would be better off working to secure the right Brexit deal as an MEP.

Mr Farage said: “I always had a very strong conviction, I always believed that the direction of this country was wrong in terms of being part of the European Union.”

“Given that it’s the European Parliament, not the British Parliament but the European Parliament, that at the end of this two-year process will have absolute right of veto, I thought to myself, sitting as a backbench MP, being called by John Bercow twice a year for Prime Minister’s Questions, or having a chance once or twice a month to be on the front row, to be up close and personal with Jean-Claude Juncker, Donald Tusk and all the rest of them, in terms of stage there’s no comparison.”

Meanwhile, Labour will also have a new candidate. There is speculation that the emerging favourite is Karen Constantine, who represents the Newington ward on Thanet council and is also a candidate in the county council election on May 4.

Because the election has been called at short notice, Labour’s NEC will decide who will be the candidate in seats where there is no sitting MP.

Ms Constantine was forced to apologise recently after it emerged she sold cosmetics meant to benefit the homeless and disadvantaged to charity to raise money for her election campaign instead.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats will also have a new candidate expected to be named this week. Russ Timpson, who stood in 2015, has decided not to stand.